Truss



No. 623,58l. Patented Apr. 25, I899.

G. A. VESCELUS. TRUSS.

(Application filed Dec. 88, 1897.)

(No Model.)

UNirn STATES PATENT Fries.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,581, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed December 23,1897. Serial No- 663,181. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it nury concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A.VESOELUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Truss,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a truss intended to be worn by persons who are so unfortunate as to be ruptured or suffering from hernia; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a truss which will adjust itself to the movements of the body and as a result remain in place and perform the functions for which it was intended; sec

ond, a truss which is easily adjusted and readily put on and taken off because of the kind of fastenings, and, third, one that is seamless,

durable, and comfortable. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents the entire machine as viewed from the front; Fig. 2, as viewed from rear. Fig. 3 shows'straps at the back, as seen in Fig. 2, used for adjusting size of the belt to the size of the body. Fig. 4 represents the belt in two sections, with front and back fasteuings, hip-pads, 850.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

The truss consists of a leathern waist-belt in two sections A A, Fig. 4:, with front hookand-eye metallic clasp a a (preferably German silver) riveted to the front ends of said belt. The purpose of this particular kind of clasp is to facilitate the putting on and taking off of the truss. To said belt are attached six buckles b b b b b b, Fig. 4, by metallic fastenings, which are riveted to said belt, but loose enough to allow the buckles and their metallic fastenings to be moved from side to side and, if desirable, to be turned entirely around on the rivets, the object of which will be explained hereinafter. The shaded parts 0 c on the two sections of the belt are pads, riveted to the belt by same rivets that fasten the bucklesb b on that part of belt. The pads are for comfort. On the rear end of the belt are four buckles (Z d cl 61, same as other buckles and fastened in same manner to belt. All the above description is best seen in Fig. 4..

The two straps e c, Fig. 3, riveted in the middle to an extension-piece of like leather as belt and sufficiently perforated with buckleholes, are fastened to the four buckles (Z d d d on rear end of belt, the object of which is to enlarge or lessen belt evenly on both sides. The opposite ends of the extension-piece are provided with loops or keepers f, which when the extension-piece is in use encircle the belt sections and retain the ends of the strips 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The straps M M, Figs. 1 and 2, of sufficient length are fastened to the buckles b b b b b b on belt, said straps being amply perforated, so as to shorten or lengthen straps. To these straps are attached by screws the balls N N, which are to be placed on the rupture to hold same back or in place.

Now my experience has been, and I believe the great defect in the many trusses invented to be, that they are not capable of being adjusted to the varied movements of the body, so as to keep them from becoming displaced, and consequently failing to render the wearer any material benefit. It will obviously appear from my invention that when the ball N is placed upon the rupture because of the rear fastening of the belt it may be made to conform to the size of the body (waist) by lengthening or shortening both sides alike,

thereby avoiding the tendency to pull the ball N sidewise from off the rupture, and the straps M, as will be seen, may be shortened or lengthened, as the case may require, preventing the displacement of the ball N by working up or down. It will further appear that because of the loose metallic and riveted fastenings of the buckles I) Z) b b b bto the belt thatwhen the straps M are attached to said buckles the body will be allowed the utmost freedom without displacing the ball N from the rupture. The straps M may be detached from the belt, and because of said loose metallic fastenings the buckles may be turned completely around on their rivets, the belt inverted, and said straps reattached and used as before, thereby preserving the shape and durability of the belt.

The drawings show what may be termed a double truss that is, to be worn when both sides are ruptured. If only one side is ruptured, detach the strap M from the other side of belt, using the strap 011 the side ruptured only. It will be observed, further, that by designed to be secured by the contiguous terminal fastening devices of the belt-sections, of pads and swiveled buckles secured upon the opposite sides of the belt-sections by rivets which respectively pass through the belt and a pad and support a buckle, truss-straps secured to the buckles and balls carried by the truss-straps, substantially as specified.

GEORGE A. VESOELUS,

Witnesses:

DANL. P. PATTERSON, WM. SMITH. 

